Turn signal



April 16, 1940. W, EL EIFUR .2,197,151

TURN SIGNAL A Filed July 6, 1937' m fil/alfanum,

Patented Apr. 16, 1940 v,2,197,151 TURN SIGNAL l yWalter B. Leifur,Minneapiis; Mina n Animation-July s, v1937, seria; No.y 15?',099'Vy iclaim'. v(C1. .1 7.-32 '11) This invention relates to turn signals andmore particularly to thattype of vsignal which is adapted for use inconnection with vehicles.

It is a general objectv of my invention to pro- 45- videI a turn signalwhich is of simple 'construction and of reasonable cost and which may bequickly and easily applied to a vehicle in a convenient spot so that itwill effectively indicate to other persons the intention of the vehicleoperator to make a turn or to retard his speed or stop.

It is a further object to provide such a signaling device which mayadvantageously be operated by a simple and eiective electrome chanicalmeans.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a n eatcompact'structure which will not appear conspicuous when the signal isnot in use, but which can be easily seen when the signal is operated. H

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be morefully set forth in the following description made in connection with theaccompanying drawing, inwhich like reference characters refer to similarparts through-f out the several'views, and,- in whiching my devicemounted in operative position;

Fig. v12 is a transverse section taken approximately on the line 2-2 ofFig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic showing of one form of electrical hook-up. Inthe particular embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing, Ihave shown a plate 5 in section, which indicates a portion of thevehicle to which the signal is attached. This may be a portion of thebody adjacent the o drivers door of a vehicle or it may be any suitablebody portion or a supporting bracket placed at any other convenientpoint on the vehicle. The plate 5 is provided with an aperture adaptedto receive a horizontal sleeve 6. This sleeve is secured at its innerendto the plate Eby means of a nut l, which will draw the sleeve 6inwardly I until the shoulder 8 abuts the' outer surface of the plate 5.

municates with. a generallycylindrical chamber 9, and, as shown in Fig.2it is preferred that the sleeve join the chamber 9 in the offset mannerillustrated.

'Ihe top and bottom. of the chamber 9 are preferably open. As shown inFigure 1, the top of the chamber is provided with a horizontally Theouter end of the sleeve 6 comdisposedannular rim I0 and a concentricshoulder', portiony I I. The upper surface of the rim Il) is adaptedtofsupport the under-cut portion of the lower part of the lamphousingI2, and a lip, formed around the edge of the under cut 5' portion ofsaid housing, is adapted to seat upon the shoulder I I; Centrally'ofvthe under portion of' the lamp-housing I2 is a downwardly extendingtubular element I3, whichr extends to a point adjacentv the lowerportion of the annular charn- 1U ber 9. -This tube extendsk through anopening in the :center of a retaining disk I4, which seats beneathanirlWardly extending shoulder I5, whichl runs around the inside of thelower portionv offthe annular chamber 9. Acotter pin I6 1.5 extendsthrough'the bottom of the tube I3 which is below the'v disk I4 to retainthe entire lamphousing I2 and its downwardly extending tubularreler'nent I3 against up or downward movement,

but it will be seen that rotary movement of the lamp-housing -ispermitted. A suitable cover plate I1 may be provided on the bottom ofthe chamber 9 to close said chamber in the bottom and cover-the lowerendl of thetube` I3.:

A vertical cylindricalv bore Iiextends upward.- lyfrom the tubeL I3through thebase of the lampl housing I2 andzterminates within thehousing inI the .form of a conventional lamp socket I9 such as isordinarily used for motor vehicle lamps. The outer shell 20 of lthe lampy2| is in contact with and groundedthroug'h'the lamp housing, and thecentral contact 22 at the bottom of the lamp bulb is adapted t0 engage aslidable pin contact 23, which is normally urged upwardly under theIinuence of a helical spring 24. The lower endv of the pin contact 23 isprovided with a suitable binding post for the attachment of the end ofan electrical conductor 25.

The tubey I3 has a lug 26 extending outwardly from the wall thereof andthis lug is pivotally connected to a link 21 at one end of the link, andthe opposite end of the link is pivotally connected at 28 to a bellcrank lever 29, which is in turn pivotally supported on a suitablebracket at 30, which is rigidly mounted upon the plate 5. The oppositeside| of the bell crank lever 29 is pivotally connected at 3| to theupper end of a link 32, the lower endof the link being v pivotallysecured to the core 33 of a suitable solenoid 34. The solenoid issupported from the 50 plate 5 by a bracket 35 and said solenoid iselectrically connected by wires 36 to the electrical system of thevehicle. n

`When the solenoid is energized it will draw the core 33 downwardlywithin the solenoid and 55 this motion will bev transmitted through thelink 32, bell crank lever 29 and link 21 to the lug 26 with the resultthat the sleeve I3 and lamp-housing I2 will be rotated.` It is preferredthat the movement ofthe solenoid and the relation of the links and bellcrank lever be so arranged that the lamp-housing will be swung throughan arc of approximately ninety degrees.

To return the lamp-housing and solenoid to its former ,position beforeits actuation under inuence of the solenoid, there is provided'withinthe housing 9 a coil spring 31, which'has its outer end suitably securedto the inne'r Wallof the housing 9 and its inner end suitably secured tothe outer wall of the tubular element 153. Actuation of the solenoid androtation of the tubular element I3 will cause Athe 1coil 'spring to becontracted or wound and rupon `the .opening of the circuit actuating thesolenoid, the tension of the spring 31 will cause reverse movement ofthe lamp-housing and of the solenoid-core 3-3.

The :lamp-housing may befconstructed in any suitable manner forlproperly exhibiting the light from the lamp 2l, but it is preferred.that the lamp chamber portion of the housing be formed intherelati-velylong narrow shape illustrated so that the device willyblend in with 'fthe lines of a present day motor vehicle. As shown,opposite sides of the lamp-housing are provided with openingsiofrelatively long narrow shape yand the openings are fprovided with glass-or other transparent 'or vtranslucent -inserts 38, which are.preferably -colored. These inserts may be held in position by removableanges 39 secured by screws 16. It Yis further more desirable to' havethe lamp socketand klarnp .positioned in the manner-shown 'so that theoutervend of the lamp-housing can swing outwardly -to :a vposition whichywill readil-y attract the -eye -of `personsin the vicinity of thevehicle.

One form of electrical hook-up `is illustrated in Figure '4. As sshown,1a wire extends from the usual vehicle battery 5B to :the solenoid 34,and another` wire `from thesolenoid '.to one side of the lamp 2i. A`suitable circuit breaker `'lll vis provided to yopen and close thecircuit from the solenoid to the lamp. The other :side o'ith'e .lamp isconnected .by Ia wire to `the opposite point of` the battery B, or thislatter vwire may: bev dispensed with and the completion of the circuitsecured by grounding the lamp in the Well known one-wire circuit. l,

From the foregoing it Will be seen that I have provided a highly ecient,simply operated and compactly constructed signaling' device, which maybe readily applied to av vehicle. Since most motor vehicles today have abatteryl and an elec- 'f n 10A matter 'to `apply `'my invention to oneof these trical system .already installed, it .is a simple vehicles.

It will, of course, be understood thatvarious changes may be made in theform, details, ar` rangement and proportion of the various parts thescope of my in- Without ydeparting from vention. v

What is v'claimed is:

` A turn signal comprising a supporting bracket including asubstantially horizontal tubular portion and an integral ssubstantiallycircular hous ing at o11e1end.offsaid tubular portion,fsaid housing:being open-at itsupperand llower ends, a rim A around the top of saidvhousing providing a seat, an elongated apertured lamp casing end ofconstituting 'a signalling arm, an

said lamp casing having va substantially circular downward extensionprovided with a fseat adapted lto Arotatably frest upon the rim at thetop of "said housing, an `inwardly extending shoulder at the bottomportion of said housing,

kim

said lamp teasing .rhaving :a `tuknilfar Lportion eX- l tendingdownwardly into 'said housing and terminating :below said inwardlylextending shoulderv said downwardly extending portion and to an-r chorvsaid flamp casing agairist vertical vmotion.

` 'WALTER B. 'LEIFU-R.

